Apparatus and techniques for electronic device encapsulation

Abstract

A method for providing a substrate coating comprises transferring a substrate to an enclosed ink jet printing system; printing organic material in a deposition region of the substrate using the enclosed ink jet printing system, the deposition region comprising at least a portion of an active region of a light-emitting device on the substrate; loading the substrate with the organic material deposited thereon to an enclosed curing module; supporting the substrate in the enclosed curing module, the supporting the substrate comprising floating the substrate on a gas cushion established by a floatation support apparatus; and while supporting the substrate in the enclosed curing module, curing the organic material deposited on the substrate to form an organic film layer.

What is claimed is: 
     
         1 . A method for providing a substrate coating, comprising:
 depositing organic material on a substrate using an enclosed ink jet printing system;   transferring the substrate with the organic material deposited thereon to an enclosed curing module;   supporting the substrate using a gas cushion established by a floatation support apparatus of the enclosed curing module; and   while supporting the substrate using the gas cushion, curing the organic material to form an organic film layer.   
     
     
         2 . The method of  claim 1 , wherein the floatation support apparatus is a first floatation support apparatus and the gas cushion is a first gas cushion, and wherein depositing organic material on the substrate using the enclosed ink jet printing system comprises supporting the substrate using a second gas cushion established by a second floatation support apparatus of the enclosed ink jet printing system. 
     
     
         3 . The method of  claim 2 , wherein transferring the substrate with the organic material deposited thereon to the enclosure curing module comprises transferring the substrate with the organic material deposited thereon from the enclosed ink jet printing system to a transfer module and transferring the substrate with the organic material deposited thereon from the transfer module to the enclosed curing module. 
     
     
         4 . The method of  claim 3 , wherein the transfer module is enclosed. 
     
     
         5 . The method of  claim 4 , wherein the transfer module comprises a third floatation support apparatus, and transferring the substrate with the organic material deposited thereon from the enclosed ink jet printing system and to the enclosure curing module comprises support the substrate using a third gas cushion established by the third floatation support apparatus of the transfer module. 
     
     
         6 . The method of  claim 5 , wherein the substrate with the organic material deposited thereon is continuously supported by a gas cushion during transfer from the enclosed ink jet printing system to the transfer module and to the enclosed curing module. 
     
     
         7 . The method of  claim 1 , wherein the supporting the substrate in the enclosed curing module comprises forcing gas through a porous ceramic material. 
     
     
         8 . The method of  claim 1 , wherein the gas cushion is established using a non-reactive pressurized gas. 
     
     
         9 . The method of  claim 1 , wherein gas cushion is established using a combination of a pressurized non-reactive gas region and at least a partial vacuum region. 
     
     
         10 . The method of  claim 1 , wherein the supporting the substrate in the enclosed curing module further comprises physically contacting the substrate with a support structure. 
     
     
         11 . The method of  claim 1 , further comprising while supporting the substrate in the enclosed curing module, restricting lateral translation of the substrate in at least one direction while supporting the substrate by the floatation support apparatus. 
     
     
         12 . The method of  claim 1 , further comprising providing a controlled processing environment for each of the enclosed ink jet printing system and the enclosed curing module, each controlled processing environment comprising maintaining one or more reactive species at or below a specified limit, maintaining a particulate level at or below a specified limit, or both. 
     
     
         13 . A method for providing a substrate coating, comprising:
 transferring a substrate from a transfer module to an enclosed ink jet printing system;   depositing organic material on a substrate using the enclosed ink jet printing system;   transferring the substrate with the organic material deposited thereon from the enclosed ink jet printing system to the transfer module;   transferring the substrate with the organic material deposited thereon from the transfer module to an enclosed curing module;   supporting the substrate using a gas cushion comprising non-reactive gas, the gas cushion established by a floatation support apparatus of the enclosed curing module; and   while supporting the substrate using the gas cushion, curing the organic material to form an organic film layer.   
     
     
         14 . The method of  claim 13 , wherein the floatation support apparatus is a first floatation support apparatus and the gas cushion is a first gas cushion, and wherein depositing organic material on the substrate using the enclosed ink jet printing system comprises supporting the substrate using a second gas cushion comprising non-reactive gas, the second gas cushion established by a second floatation support apparatus of the enclosed ink jet printing system. 
     
     
         15 . The method of  claim 14 , wherein the transfer module is enclosed, and wherein the transfer module comprises a third floatation support apparatus, and transferring the substrate with the organic material deposited thereon from the enclosed ink jet printing system and to the enclosure curing module comprises supporting the substrate using a third gas cushion comprising non-reactive gas, the third gas cushion established by the third floatation support apparatus of the transfer module. 
     
     
         16 . The method of  claim 15 , wherein the substrate with the organic material deposited thereon is continuously supported by a gas cushion comprising non-reactive gas during transfer among the transfer module, the enclosed ink jet printing system, and the enclosed curing module. 
     
     
         17 . The method of  claim 15 , further comprising providing a controlled processing environment for each of the transfer module, the enclosed ink jet printing system, and the enclosed curing module, each controlled processing environment comprising maintaining one or more reactive species at or below a specified limit, maintaining a particulate level at or below a specified limit, or both. 
     
     
         18 . The method of  claim 13 , further comprising while supporting the substrate in the enclosed curing module, restricting lateral translation of the substrate in at least one direction while supporting the substrate by the floatation support apparatus. 
     
     
         19 . The method of  claim 13 , further comprising providing a controlled processing environment for each of the enclosed ink jet printing system and the enclosed curing module, each controlled processing environment comprising maintaining one or more reactive species at or below a specified limit, maintaining a particulate level at or below a specified limit, or both. 
     
     
         20 . The method of  claim 13 , further comprising filtering gas circulated along a path traversed by the substrate.